What are automation services?

With Liv-ex Automation Services, you can automate everything from price discovery to payment. The two key routes to automation, APIs and SDKs, are explained below.

What is an API?

APIs are the most important feature of our automation services. They are the lines of communication between your systems and ours; letting them speak directly with each other.

The video below compares an API to a waiter in a restaurant. In its example, the diners represent one system, while the kitchen represents the other. The diners (system 1) send their order to the kitchen (system 2) via the waiter (API). When the food is ready, it is is returned from the kitchen (system 2) to the diners (system 1) via the waiter (API).

This is essentially how our APIs work. Valuation APIs offer a simple example. Your system or website requests prices from Liv-ex via an API, which returns them to you from our extensive database. You can then display prices from Liv-ex automatically, and in real time.

All processes, from price discovery, through purchasing and payment, can now be automated in this way, eliminating the need for manual lookups. We share some key examples on this website. You are also welcome to take advantage of a free consultation with one of our experts on how this technology can help to make your business smarter.

What is an SDK?

SDK stands for Software Development Kit. They contain everything that a developer needs to build elements of a website or app, from instructions to code. The major benefit is that your developer can avoid coding everything from scratch.

If you think of building a website as like building a house, an SDK would be comparable to purchasing a pre-packed kitchen or bathroom. Without one, you need to design and build all of the elements – sink, shower, plumbing – from scratch.

SDKs are commonly used to add elements like ‘login with Facebook’ buttons, instant messaging and chat boxes to websites. With Liv-ex SDKs, you can add elements such as price search widgets and market views. We are currently preparing documentation on our SDKs, but would be happy to discuss options with you before they are published.